A new law grants U.S. citizenship to about 75,000 adopted children.
The Child Citizenship Act grants automatic citizenship to most foreign-born and adopted children. The child must be under the age of 18 and have at least one parent or legal guardian who is a U.S. citizen.
Patricia and Charles Barry are adopting a boy from Korea. Once the adoption is finalized, their child will be an American citizen.
"We're really excited that we don't have to wait two years, that we understand other families have had to wait," Patricia Barry said.
"It's really good because a lot of families have forgotten or didn't realize they had to file citizenship for their child, and there are families who have filed and just waited a long, long time," Donna Claus of the Rainbow International House said.
About 20,000 children are adopted from outside the U.S. every year.
"Just as though children who are born to a family are awarded citizenship upon birth, children who are adopted by the family now will enjoy that same right," Claus said.

ALBUQUERQUE —

A new law grants U.S. citizenship to about 75,000 adopted children.

The Child Citizenship Act grants automatic citizenship to most foreign-born and adopted children. The child must be under the age of 18 and have at least one parent or legal guardian who is a U.S. citizen.

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Patricia and Charles Barry are adopting a boy from Korea. Once the adoption is finalized, their child will be an American citizen.

"We're really excited that we don't have to wait two years, that we understand other families have had to wait," Patricia Barry said.

"It's really good because a lot of families have forgotten or didn't realize they had to file citizenship for their child, and there are families who have filed and just waited a long, long time," Donna Claus of the Rainbow International House said.

About 20,000 children are adopted from outside the U.S. every year.

"Just as though children who are born to a family are awarded citizenship upon birth, children who are adopted by the family now will enjoy that same right," Claus said.